ALPHA-TOCOPHEROL CONTENT OF CEREAL GRAINS AND PROCESSED CEREALS

Although natural grains often contain appreciable quantities of vitamin E (α-tocopherol), little information is available concerning the content in cereals as consumed in the human diet. The atocopherol content of cereal grains and cereals derived therefrom was determined by using thinlayer chromatography on alumina. Average contents in whole corn, wheat, oats, and rice were 1.53, 0.87, 1.54, and 0.35 mg. per 100 grams, respectively. Up to threefold variation among samples of the same natural grain was undoubtedly influenced by where the plant was grown, the time of harvest, and the stability after harvest. The processing of grain by flaking, shredding, puffing, and other procedures to produce cereals usually resulted in extensive loss of vitamin E, sometimes as much as 90%. Analyses of samples of the same type of cereal from different processors showed up to fivefold variation, which reflects not only the variation in the original grain but probably also differences in processing technique. The lipid content of the grain was usually reduced by processing, but the distribution of fatty acids was essentially unchanged. The extensive loss of vitamin E during processing of grains to cereals suggests the advisability of restoring nutritive value by fortification of the finished cereal. © 1969, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.